A medical assistant is performing medical asepsis. Which of the following tasks should the assistant complete before and after working with each patient?
A. Hand hygiene Correct
B. Donning gloves
C. Hand sanitization
D. Doffing gloves
Rationale: Hand hygiene is essential in medical asepsis as it effectively reduces the transmission of pathogens between patients. Performing hand hygiene before and after patient interactions minimizes the risk of infection.
Donning gloves (B) is important but does not replace the need for hand hygiene; gloves can still harbor pathogens. Hand sanitization (C) is a component of hand hygiene but is not as comprehensive as thorough handwashing. Doffing gloves (D) is necessary to prevent cross-contamination but should follow hand hygiene practices, not precede them. Prioritizing hand hygiene ensures a foundational level of cleanliness and safety in patient care.
